Bell attempts to reduce internet pricing competition by undermining the CRTC

[FlameOn]

Bell has filed a petition with the Federal government to rescind the CRTC's ability to regulate access to it's internet fiber network. Right now the CRTC mandates that ISPs offer access to their networks at regulated wholesale prices in order to given new entrants and smaller regional competitors a fighting chance and to keep prices down for Canadians. Bell is trying to go around the CRTC and challenge their authority to regulate this directly to the Liberal government.

http://business.financialpost.com/fp...reline-network

This decision will directly impact prices as, if Bell has it's way, it would kill regional smaller competitors like TekSavvy who do not have their own network. These providers provide a direct check against the Rogers, Bell, Shaw and Telus from raising their prices too much over cost. People should be up in arms about this. Toronto and Ottawa's mayors has signed a filing supporting Bell after extensive lobbying. Incidentally Ontario is in the middle of an internet price war caused directly by these smaller competitors. This has lead to prices substantially lower than in Calgary. (i.e. $80/mo vs $130/mo for the equivalent package speeds on Rogers vs. Shaw) Nenshi has pushed heavily against Bell's petition.

This will be a test of the Liberal government to see who they really support. Is the Liberal government in the pocket of corporate powers or do they really intent to serve the public. Nenshi though does reveal there is a lot of dark fiber in Calgary and reiterated support for an eventual open wholesale fiber network that will be licensed for use to smaller ISPs based on the Swedish model.

Stokab does not compete with the telecommunications services sector, instead it remains at the lowest level in the value chain: the dark fibre level. This has led to virtually all operators in Stockholm and Sweden using the Stokab network. It is cheaper to license dark fibre than having to build an entire privately owned network and with hundreds of operators and companies using the same infrastructure, this is a cost effective model. The biggest cost is represented by digging and installation; therefore Stokab has established coordination with other utilities (such as sewage and electricity), the underground public transport authority, and other infrastructure players to facilitate the installation of fibre Facilities

https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gs...Submission.pdf

EDIT: Petition has been formed against Bell's attempt to kill competition and raise your prices.
https://act.openmedia.org/emergency

[HotHotHeat]

Thanks for posting this.

Did some more searching and found this.

There are different roads toward that goal, however, as shown by competing submissions from the mayors of Toronto and Calgary in a high-stakes battle over the future of broadband Internet services.
Toronto’s Mayor John Tory (joined by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson) sided with large telecom companies, while Calgary’s Mayor Naheed Nenshi emphasized the importance of open networks and more robust competition.

By contrast, Calgary submitted a 28-page document supporting the CRTC ruling and explaining why increased competition was good for the city and consumers.
Addressing issues seemingly ignored by Toronto and Ottawa, Nenshi noted that without some form of network access for competitors, there would invariably be challenges to grant all providers the necessary municipal infrastructure to construct their networks. Given limited capacity of municipal right of ways, the market might be limited to a few large competitors.
Moreover, Calgary focused on the need for cities to build their own network infrastructure to complement the services offered by the telecom giants. It noted the public interest benefits that arise from building municipal networks, which offer the chance for more competition and ensure that cities are not held hostage by large companies threatening to delay or withdraw network investments.
Calgary also reminded the government that companies like Bell have long enjoyed benefits from public funding, protection from competition and access to municipal infrastructure. While the new fibre connections do not rely on legacy infrastructure, their powerful market positions are directly linked to those earlier privileged positions.

Nenshi, telling it like it is... Again. Awesome.

http://www.thestar.com/business/2016...and-geist.html

[harmony]

go Nenshi!!

[Hemi-Cuda]

Toronto's mayor used to work for Rogers, so it's no surprise he's siding with Bell